tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61239270649812506462019-01-13T01:31:54.465-08:00Short for BeverageBev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-62434776611646854602019-01-02T06:02:00.001-08:002019-01-05T17:55:22.868-08:00Trip to FloridaLots of bird sightings and visits with my best friends from high school. Nice place to visit. Wouldn't want to live there! <script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/publicalbum@latest/dist/pa-embed-player.min.js" async></script><div class="pa-embed-player" style="width:100%; height:480px; display:none;" data-link="https://photos.app.goo.gl/q4huHVpuUA1zd57K9" data-title="Trip to Florida" data-description="32 new photos · Album by Bev Stanton"> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HQouP7OEIUwQt_LCbwwlSmvwm3DdzgDarc3qOYOsk2jesoTb-oL1nxgA_zASHQG0-0n_o5bcIlZpFxUdw7usm2anPdvUgyVDEGkxhq94Ta_RWOUxV_cizMfB_eWTtTsOhSM0nHEFEg=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Bc7hbme6CK5JLzstHt1fI0cH5Y6_ZP4wVe4N4hWVq8XvZ053XCDyQO8tT08s37nqb5LBZkYsEo4DOyI_0dYcV-N7vQt8POrP1ekXQwp7A2BcOJPHQrSywPHwe5O_dd1gOMIAh_R_gA=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p0Ve9kLCUL1uBvuJ7qwGJ6FyVUFqorkwvsCdHqDRVCXg9OTKKpMdc9p58XFo0KVH2XOxjqyHgqYmZwPSiMDxz4q17Gc_Rx79EzBfVcMaMFz43PHgxWcJrVRYH7SvcC4xr6aFfF-92A=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YOAbzUqMfIaTLqUwHwvLn1AmUe5XZUlimrEVD2TqFnRL-HLs_Ntcgi7QFMJ73VM6V3_iBiLioLDPXqdfH_Gv7D0urGgqiGi4bJ4F9Dpix0-ndpCF9E45OAK1YnqIQ4UhPUFIlsHvQA=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nPfw3w4WphNAcV0kdDHSly88Ka0nnv-HsHrQm4f2VD0ZtG0wkJQ8BccVG9Qkt8DmbALB8FHqch0CX--oYdQGW4-8oyLjuGGbKFlpam10OibEWnP0zSDpHXiP594Cm26R8CL8Bm7lng=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LBouphFCCFDXWw5cyYXwrj_h45GF3GLQtFubTNu1-J-7szCAaGJTBgCzw2rWNv30jlvq_XReTlREGbNw3-8MntNqbEmObJp_IAEu_3LP-uTgX2E4vZAiTTbizeUmo9Z0Eeg8jy8kDw=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/r7-o2q0buNfvKsQl9MSkw7sVyBpsfUBh1y4Ujip9aiZEUcxOCF8sFz_e5g-ZStpTWfuYuzbOpJ-eMUnFBf5FwuXi0zinP01sapl7pu7aNl8jA8bHDKBZbzD-NoMsnvM25-L9Bpxl9Q=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img 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data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XJoRHONhGJdESG7YgRy8uijy4_lWenbQ0s39Y5HCZoPh3GHVhL0JTnkqPhXVu4dFBL98Ly29i_xq6Qosacd7-2fIzqutQ7mEaLLjpjeTPXzmtzfEgu5yast8zs0ke2IvBGUR230thQ=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Lrgcrve2ruIUqfkVLR-I0n074tNf94EhJ4Y_p24oejRVS7_LPaVOQYrrm8mkCQOoFLQsg3cgrbISRhvAmZWX05SaxA4RAfxc5yPnQ_EQE-qc5hQMfFOX7GIPjnvG4-Rz5F179QDpag=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/IZbe3yom6mIffqxCaxqt-4sUAYTpzrCXJ4_UxGxVsSCA9vbpCFUhFjNCBoipdC_sCZRUGVa-fslxqqE4kFZ_kQDffYmlMmmXv4yHHjWFSW9vVHszndZGsOrNLdO5u645nwsDgKDLlQ=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zteh1jq4w6Fn9_fgTpTcEalUqvntHVMKDfGQO3wb7ztZHyzll-SGXzGOqk3DFAGRUVFsjTGObQPsbnVQaoGJJx5SVMN22vDIaLG7rK-CiSdJE_EBjYnO6l4FjhbvEvYZTOn8HqgEuA=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HQFZbsB0Jp7f8Tb_2sTXNsfABSXBJiHoQq8VQY-yYl73b5uVVx4WSgH5KwRGg7pX-IH4El3kwpywJXSLadQb1-iCb_M4oXuZBG5HkzJvGO0_QsB0E1Vo0Tw43HlXfovSIz1uT7hhGw=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Okb4HW2Z0opi5CiNiJyVfu1QgqWkLtLmCwQtDX9qVBAIetczUdMqd7Up7mOuDJE-izUXZnHbkiEUaksPaMlvqDZFLT6Fm3qbJfP4SzZuuOeE5kRZgWSTYpNdNwA_-5SGyJJhVx0EzQ=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_EcR_dl_SbQlBH3qE6QbGhy8EmHLH1kA5eUtV9dhmR3Gii5naBUFocgRJ6qi3Oo_bO5LTwZxZcDPNYyx8Llijd5YTFg633k-lPJGTMr8T3i3OkJlNZKBeyp2f32HVznkfjrOAfdTSg=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ubHztustg_w0LjdTP6wiMkHH9ADQ3e2yp-iiaON8helSUA5xd8CawpKiMQA5Lmr1EUrFYXQGhwXelKmB0I0QgNpfxIyOp279bGrzOU3egCNae8RkQszSIadbGsX-upT27oqeyIrkrA=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_ZsbIp87zPFlQVCqAFYwaIgHykpoEBf9Muo8tRtkYgPQ3BCyulPNnTzqLBJI6Ll6t1LzuILGJOhSAQB_y-xhdjE8aoCjRptqbwC7tZpy1WOTb6SAlC8Ep75gpgkyO16E0dGMrfmo8Q=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xzYXTRW0ImST8jFZIfn0JP89BbK8YinbjBg6Y1eMvmtgGD-0VOvlfrUXNo9Od23YPFSUFA3P5UUCS12NXRe3ZVIu4yIIKFKZ9JaFZjkdW-uXIIzqVehFxfvjWrX5NjdSLh8HTKWnFw=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ll9D3GmgyX4R1oYQwYux5R1kI5tcqUfK1sW1VI50TSiAq0pMjXjGzfTSNwDHtj8VlVj0EvPjV3_U53q3-lCAPHKIs5O3mklGKk0b12ZONHjdipKaae-E6770KAXCXA6Jab_OhPFgIA=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZMOe1iFH4vT-bCTWwajoPk5vLCOzKg3Sjw52ozgmQ9UO8n7owOqgJ5FCFaBGgOr4ch2Lorbr2woyTmZwPZ1tygtp0xuhsY4YXCdnZfHism6H2NkMwrFKqdNqAMVT0RwFZI2HhQFvyQ=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /> <img data-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bugAZp_QDdfQiNwdqwM5awnrWs02CqhosFPIMd2uqvYK0yvhYfGm1BMoZak3X2KomUSL-FwoTtkqj91CCuPIXqcxSg9dtr_sLL1_EZFsIP5UFTBx8U5fbNYcdv3wByaMN5ntagxBDQ=w1920-h1080" src="" alt="" /></div>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-84658531210023227212018-04-13T08:45:00.000-07:002018-05-13T15:25:09.656-07:00NovparoloAnother day, another side-project. I have been getting together with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/winstonpsmithproject">Winston Psmith Project</a> and my AKAI synthstation to create music that sounds like Mannheim Steamroller on fermented jelly beans. The project name is <a href="http://www.novparolo.com">Novparolo</a>, which is Esperanto for Newspeak. Here is our latest recording: <br /> <br /> <iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2549387942/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://novparolo.bandcamp.com/album/fine-tiraneco">Fine Tiraneco by Novparolo</a></iframe>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-43703850165327061692018-01-01T17:11:00.000-08:002018-01-04T04:22:16.400-08:00OWNLIFEI love New Year's Day!! It means we have survived the holidays. And the next dreaded holiday (Valentine's) is not for another six weeks!! I just finished up an Arthur Loves Plastic EP. It is comprised of reflections on solitude and gratitude, and a requisite anti-Trump anthem. Most of the tracks started as noodles created in android music apps such as Caustic and FL Studio Mobile. I hope 2018 is better for everyone! <script id="asp-embed-script" data-zindex="1000000" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="https://spark.adobe.com/page-embed.js"></script><a class="asp-embed-link" href="https://spark.adobe.com/page/VCSHmpFOfUhoM/" target="_blank"><img src="https://spark.adobe.com/page/VCSHmpFOfUhoM/embed.jpg?buster=1514854742867" alt="OWNLIFE" style="width:100%" border="0" /></a>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-64341366799854805032017-10-09T08:48:00.002-07:002017-10-20T05:32:56.252-07:00Year of Yes<p>As part of my year of YES, I attended and performed at the <a href="http://electromusicfestivals.org/northeastern-festival/">Northeast Electro Music Festival</a> in Homer New York. The cats didn't miss me at all. Here is live footage from the gig:</p> <style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://player.vimeo.com/video/235360013' frameborder='0' webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-9155703515810310932017-05-13T08:16:00.002-07:002017-06-11T04:36:32.213-07:00Sabbatical <p>This month I am living my best life!! I am on sabbatical for 6 weeks. During week one I visited Yellowstone National Park and Little Bighorn National Battlefield which provided an opportunity to confront my fear of driving while being distracted by beautiful landscapes. Now I am spending time at home learning Adobe Creative Cloud software and creating <a href="https://creativeaction.network/collections/bee-joy">See America</a> posters that celebrate our national parks. Here is a slideshow of trip photos:</p> <style>.post-outer img { max-width: 100%;} </style> <div class="w3-content w3-display-container"> <img class="mySlides" src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/dd2528bc6c6273b5aa3e1acb67b7a5a4/tumblr_opp5aeBTxv1wnsr44o1_1280.jpg" style="width:100%"> <img class="mySlides" src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/27ee13de472982b2cb141b5771dcacf2/tumblr_opp5aeBTxv1wnsr44o2_1280.jpg" style="width:100%"> <img class="mySlides" src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/bdbcf439a406202aa6226877722705ee/tumblr_opp5aeBTxv1wnsr44o3_1280.jpg" style="width:100%"> <img class="mySlides" src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/53666000a9f2a6f754c658a27d26f20c/tumblr_opp5aeBTxv1wnsr44o4_1280.jpg" style="width:100%"> <img class="mySlides" src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/53666000a9f2a6f754c658a27d26f20c/tumblr_opp5aeBTxv1wnsr44o4_1280.jpg" style="width:100%"> <img class="mySlides" src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/aab7c8f2181c854e956b7d360bb184b1/tumblr_opp5aeBTxv1wnsr44o7_1280.jpg" style="width:100%"> <img class="mySlides" src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/d69b43b15785de183982ca8001369556/tumblr_opp5aeBTxv1wnsr44o8_1280.jpg" style="width:100%"> <img class="mySlides" src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/aa37895c67c67ed05a54cc430d4cae39/tumblr_opp5aeBTxv1wnsr44o9_1280.jpg" style="width:100%"> <button class="w3-button w3-black w3-display-left" onclick="plusDivs(-1)">&#10094;</button> <button class="w3-button w3-black w3-display-right" onclick="plusDivs(1)">&#10095;</button></div> <script>var slideIndex = 1; showDivs(slideIndex); function plusDivs(n) { showDivs(slideIndex += n); } function showDivs(n) { var i; var x = document.getElementsByClassName("mySlides"); if (n > x.length) {slideIndex = 1} if (n < 1) {slideIndex = x.length} for (i = 0; i < x.length; i++) { x[i].style.display = "none"; } x[slideIndex-1].style.display = "block"; } </script>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-91518837049762112992017-02-04T07:56:00.001-08:002018-01-01T17:18:54.721-08:00We Will Survive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o3Cr_evcpko/WJX5r-eodUI/AAAAAAAAD5M/TIo6jAtowgw/s1600/20170203_183032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o3Cr_evcpko/WJX5r-eodUI/AAAAAAAAD5M/TIo6jAtowgw/s640/20170203_183032.jpg" /> </a> </div>Things got real last month when we transitioned from ominous tweets to draconian executive orders. I have worked in nonprofit online advocacy for over 15 years, and this past week have witnessed decades of progress in environmental conservation, LGBTQ rights, and criminal justice reform threatened with a flourish of a pen. My anxiety and depression levels have elevated exponentially in tandem with my job stress. However these steps are helping me get a grip and i am throwing them out there in case it helps someone else:<br /><ul><li>&nbsp;Attending rallies. It has been particularly energizing to be around young people who embody a brighter future. I hope to do at least one a week over the next 200 weeks. There is power in being part of something bigger than myself.&nbsp;</li><li>Talking to older Americans who have survived the Nixon and Reagan years. History does repeat. Over the past 30 years we went from a B-movie actor-president who ignored the AIDS crisis to a hopeful leader who lit the white house with rainbow colors. The pendulum can and will swing back.&nbsp;</li><li>Curating my online activity. There is a fine line between being thoughtfully engaged and obsessively consumed. Just like we have to avoid toxins in what we eat and drink, it behooves us to be more intentional about what we read on the internet (not all of it is true or helpful!). In the interest of living in the solution and not in fear, I steer clear of speculative dystopian thought pieces and pay attention to actions I can take such as contacting legislators and attending bystander intervention classes.</li><li>Remembering life goes on. And keeping my eye on the prize. One day i might be interviewed by a gerontology student to provide a living history and will want to recount all the positive things my generation did during these dark days. The immense public outpouring of calls to congress and rallies at airports have demonstrated how each of us collectively can and will make a difference in the days ahead.</li></ul>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-49442092511689597512017-01-04T09:20:00.001-08:002018-05-13T16:40:03.738-07:00Happy New Year <div dir="ltr">Although the year ended on a sour note from a political standpoint, 2016 provided a trifecta of personal milestones: i hit the big 5-OH, commemorated 10 years of employment at a day job i love, and celebrated 5 years of sobriety during a trip to my birthplace, Nassau, Bahamas. Looking forward to 2017 with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qZHRuuMl7KY/WG0u4LzGv_I/AAAAAAAADws/1WLbRLkigRo/s1600/FB_IMG_1480080997188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin: auto;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qZHRuuMl7KY/WG0u4LzGv_I/AAAAAAAADws/1WLbRLkigRo/s640/FB_IMG_1480080997188.jpg" /> </a> </div><br /><style>.post-outer img { margin: auto; } </style>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-32133523921728696162016-09-01T05:04:00.001-07:002016-10-23T18:22:59.327-07:00Collaborations I love being a solo artist but i also thrive on creative collaborations. I get really sick of my shtick after a while and collaborations inject new processes and ideas into what would otherwise be a very flat and stagnant musical journey. Recent collaborations include <a href="http://www.ccsg.rocks/">Cat Canary with the Grins</a> and <a href="http://www.novparolo.com/">Novparolo</a>.<br /><br /> My most enduring collaboration has been with <a href="http://www.lisamoscatiello.com/">Lisa Moscatiello</a>, whose commanding yet nuanced alto is reminiscent of Tracy Thorn and Chrissie Hynde. She has done vocal duty on numerous Arthur Loves Plastic tracks, some of which she went on to record acoustically with her amazing backup band about 10 years ago. We also wrote songs together as the <a href="http://www.spacedots.net/">Space Dots</a> which you can hear below. I look forward to the privilege of having her sing on the release that is now in the tinkering stages.<br /><br /><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLcnWhNDCFuDPkKBBXIqFA7SpeU6IcvSHY' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br /><br />Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-11674851557690046072016-07-09T12:06:00.000-07:002018-05-13T16:16:37.252-07:00Memories...Thanks to Facebook's Memories and&nbsp;<a href="https://juxtapose.knightlab.com/#create-new">Knight Lab's Juxtapose tool</a>&nbsp;I can interactively witness the transformation of my living/dining room. It is reminiscent of the transition from black and white to technicolor in the Wizard of Oz. I clearly do not care about the resale of my apartment as evidenced by my bold color choices. I love living here! Happy five year anniversary!<br /><br /><iframe class="juxtapose" frameborder="0" height="550" src="https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/juxtapose/latest/embed/index.html?uid=33954fb2-4607-11e6-8309-0e7075bba956" width="100%"></iframe>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-88309942122942958802016-05-11T09:37:00.001-07:002016-05-15T19:20:40.092-07:00Ukulele<div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"><p>I have always been tempted by the ukulele but thought it would be too confusing to learn since my main four string instrument is the bass guitar. However one of my friends from college invited me to a ukulele jam which prompted me to make a modestly priced impulse purchase at <a href="http://hmtrad.com/">House of Musical Traditions</a> that I have not regretted! The build quality on the <a href="http://www.kalabrand.com/ukulele/makala-dolphins">Makala uke</a> pictured above is impressive considering it is priced less than $50.</p><p>The ukulele as it turns out is the adult coloring book of instruments. It can be easy or hard depending on your aspirations. As an underachiever, I am happy learning a song a month using online <a href="http://www.ukulele-tabs.com/">uke tabs</a> or taking lessons with a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUkuleleTeacher">Ukulele Teacher on YouTube</a>. So far I have learned Katy Perry's "Roar" and the Smiths "I Know It's Over" and the neighbors have not yet complained. It is also a social instrument. I have already participated in two subsequent uke jams organized by local ukulele teachers who lead a group of adults in playing an assortment of current pop songs and oldies. I recommend this instrument if you want a fun musical outlet for 15 minutes a day.</p></div> <div class="col-md-4"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQmcLTxYTvc/VzNdMROGnEI/AAAAAAAACik/wqcjOd6DcrAfjDC3E9bLyGPZkcFQz1UeQCLcB/s1600/12923373_10154001782051093_7593161724382262541_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQmcLTxYTvc/VzNdMROGnEI/AAAAAAAACik/wqcjOd6DcrAfjDC3E9bLyGPZkcFQz1UeQCLcB/s1600/12923373_10154001782051093_7593161724382262541_n.jpg" /></a></div></div>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-84848404895690857602016-03-16T09:02:00.002-07:002016-03-16T09:09:49.125-07:00My hair before wash and wear!!I have been going to <a href="http://www.hugosalon.com/">Hugo Salon</a> in Wheaton for 20 years and highly recommend Toni! I have been a customer for over 20 years! <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCnfuMtFWV_/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Sassoon vibes on this one by @saewhat01 ✂️✂️ #hugosalon</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Kensington, MD (@hugosalon) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-03-06T15:46:36+00:00">Mar 6, 2016 at 7:46am PST</time></p></div></blockquote><script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-47161845566749662162015-09-24T19:16:00.001-07:002016-02-07T13:19:46.418-08:00What a Week!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AYEXVHtXhnM/VgSuiYpbsuI/AAAAAAAACBg/nFLI6guB2Zo/s640/IMG_20150924_101317.jpg" style="width: 100%"></div><br>This has been a phenomenal week! It opened with the unveiling of the new Silver Spring transit center, a multilevel bus depot that has run $80 million dollars over budget and 2 years behind schedule. For the past several years the construction site has been a behemoth obstacle to metro commuters as various agencies squabbled over how to fix structural issues uncovered during its safety inspection. I almost applauded as my bus entered the flashy new terminal on Sunday. I was excited to see Googlemaps was up to speed with the bay numbers as I transfered from the 16th Street bus and an LED screen let me know how long I needed to wait for my connection.<br><br>As if this wasn't thrilling enough, the Pope's visit injected some extra excitement into a DC week. Metro's prediction of massive crowds prompted most everyone in the burbs to "work" from home and rendered DC a ghost town. It was like a snow day.<br><br>I am one of the last people you would expect to exhibit popemania. Despite being Protestant, my parents sent me to a conveniently located Catholic school. The uniforms took the guesswork out of peer pressured dressing but otherwise it was a shame and guilt-inducing experience. Everything was a sin and there was a patron saint for everything. Any notion of a loving god was replaced with fear of a dogmatic judgmental deity that required bureaucratic adherence to rules and constant donations. Since I wasn't Catholic I was forced to do confession face to face with no screen and felt shunned during communion. I left 6th grade feeling that Catholicism was an anachronistic, patriarchal institution, and the church's handling of the sex abuse scandals and ban on condoms during the AIDS crisis further intensified my alienation.<br><br>But Pope Francis' messages on poverty and climate change compelled me to go downtown on Thursday and listen to his historic speech to Congress. Since i didn't have a ticket, I planned on joining the climate rally so as a non-catholic I would have a better excuse for missing half a day at my environmental conservation job. I was greeted at the metro exit by an activist passing out attractive blue posters with pope quotes so I was all set! I got a great seat near a jumbotron.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vEAID4dofPY/VgUzfE3Be5I/AAAAAAAACCQ/QBqZ-uC6M5A/s320/12003972_10153594031426093_9142696998487940176_n.jpg" style="width: 100%"></div><br>Much to my surprise Moby was one of the performers and when unexpectedly granted more time at the end of his set he did one of my favorites with help from an amazing vocalist (the shaky cam resulted from me being asked to sign a petition while trying to capture the moment). The pope's message of hope and plea for compassion brought me to tears and the sight of his fiat as his motorcade departed made me squeal. I am so thankful to have been a part of this inspiring, momentous occasion.<br><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><br><div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yaAEIOlXGNo"></iframe><br><br>The pope's speech had me weeping. You could hear a pin drop on the national mall. I had not been a part of an uplifting event like this since the inauguration and am so thankful to be able to share in the momentous occasion!</div>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-77663192910503507142015-06-13T07:58:00.001-07:002015-06-14T05:38:56.273-07:00What a Gem!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oXTz1_MyuAQ/VXzyolvR25I/AAAAAAAABzk/kvx4yTPWGzw/s1600/railsgirls-sq.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oXTz1_MyuAQ/VXzyolvR25I/AAAAAAAABzk/kvx4yTPWGzw/s1600/railsgirls-sq.png" /></a></div>The next website at the day job will be powered by a Ruby on Rails CMS, so I jumped at the opportunity to attend a $5 workshop&nbsp;organized by <a href="http://railsgirls.com/dc">Rail Girls DC</a>, the local branch of an international organization founded in Finland. To sweeten the deal, the setup party was hosted by Living Social just a few blocks from my office. And the workshop the following day was walking distance from my apartment at the shiny&nbsp;new Silver Spring municipal center.&nbsp;Free food was provided, including vegan cupcakes sponsored by AT&amp;T. These two days delivered! Not only did I pick up enough lingo to assist my interactions&nbsp;with our web developer, my immersion into this&nbsp;collaborative culture gave me some practice with git and exposure to ruby. Experts in the field&nbsp;also gave&nbsp;inspiring&nbsp;presentations and&nbsp;career advice.<br /><br />The ruby coding subculture I saw was a supportive ecosystem&nbsp;in which&nbsp;people solve problems together&nbsp;on online forums and at meet-ups, and share&nbsp;code on github.&nbsp;Despite being largely self taught in&nbsp;HTML and&nbsp;CSS,&nbsp;I learned&nbsp;the value of&nbsp;personal training and being able to ask for help during&nbsp;a 3 hour session&nbsp;of building a ruby blog with helpful volunteer coaches at&nbsp;my table. This $5 course changed my life! There is so much to learn, so little time, but I don't have to know it all. There are plenty of&nbsp; resources out there, all I need is a willingness to learn, a comfort with not knowing yet, and curiosity matched with perseverance. Thank you Rails Girls!Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-23151690035377733052015-04-19T18:08:00.000-07:002015-04-26T18:31:29.890-07:00Nothing Latent Here! <br /><div class="video-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qVbV_7LYXe0" width="560"></iframe></div><br />I LOVE EASTER!! I love the colorful candy and the bunnies and the happy ending when Christ is Risen indeed!! What made this Easter season extra special was an event greeted with so much promotional fanfare, it may as well have been the second coming: the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S6 phone!<br /><br />Since this date coincided with another hyped release, the Apple Watch, i decided to order my phone online as soon as it became available and avoid the AT&amp;T store. I must say it is thrilling to have this month's "it" phone though this is sure to be short-lived.<br /><br />I ordinarily don't get this enthused about phones but one feature in particular was of interest to me: there were indications that the latest Android version, Lollipop, might have better audio performance. In previous android phones, there has been significant lag time between when you hit a note on a music app and when sound comes out. It is a delay measured in milliseconds, but has rendered android music apps useless for live performance.<br /><br />In the video below I have hooked up a KORG NanoKEY controller via a cheap USB to micro cable to trigger notes in the awesome Android app <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.singlecellsoftware.caustic&amp;hl=en">Caustic</a>. I can't hear any latency between the click of the key and when the bell tolls!<br /><br /><style type="text/css"><!-- .video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } .video-container iframe, .video-container object, .video-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } </style>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-22738208012523748462015-01-12T16:32:00.003-08:002016-04-14T18:51:34.471-07:00CrO2ing Poetic<br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/users/132698809&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br /><br />I recently bought an <a href="http://www.ionaudio.com/products/details/tape-2-go-iTR17">Ion Tape 2 Go</a> to transfer some of my dad's old cassettes to CD which in turn motivated me to archive ancient band recordings. After failing to find any traces of last century's musical activity in my apartment, I did a sweep of the American Picker-esque basement in the Takoma Park house where I lived from 1998-2002. Success! In a dark corner behind a bicycle I found a box of live recordings and 4 track tapes from 1986-1990. <br /><br />Cassettes are a pain! Not only is the dynamic range crap, rewinding and fast forwarding takes an interminable amount of time compared to clicking around on wav files. My labeling left a lot to be desired too! I did a lot of re-recording without updating labels which made every tape a surprise. One recording was from a 1990 gig at a club called "The Paragon" in College Park MD. The muffled performance featured inspired riffs by a guitarist named Jason who had an affinity for Roland effect processing. The keyboardist, who listened incessantly to the Cure's <i>Disintegration</i> album during depressive episodes, was a much better musician than I had remembered and played a tasteful mix of melodic hooks and backing textures.<br /><br />Another recording from 1986 in Tampa featured a drummer who stubbornly refused to close his hi-hat. I am sure this is responsible for a lot of my hi-frequency hearing loss. He moved with us to Raleigh where he got drunk and wrecked my car and was photographed pointing an AK-47 at my cat. From the looks of his facebook profile he made something of himself producing paintball videos out in LA after the band broke up.<br /><br />We also had a metal phase in 1989 when we lived in Raleigh. The hot licks were provided by a guitarist who sold used biomedical equipment and stored a kidney machine in our tool shed.<br /><br />I uncovered some really awful 4-track solo recordings in which I used reverb as a talent button. Thankfully it obscured my self-absorbed 20-something lyrics. <br /><br />I had grandiose ideas of uncovering diamonds in the ruff but there was too much flutter and hiss. I think the best tracks are a few 4-track ditties I did with John Sudnik when we called ourselves "Wayward Puritans." He had a great emotional delivery and a knack for pop phrasing!<br /><br />I put up a few things on soundcloud to serve as a nostalgic reminder of why I never quit the day job. Kids today don't know how good they have it with digital recording!<br /><br />You can hear our subsequent studio efforts at <a href="http://miserichord.info/">miserichord.info</a> and <a href="http://thentherewerenone.info/">thentherewerenone.info</a>.Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-14188171297394749472014-12-19T15:08:00.000-08:002015-10-13T19:36:42.506-07:00The best things in life are free!I am master of numerous domains for my music projects that also serve as sandboxes for my day job! My role as nonprofit online producer requires I be an autodidactic jack of all trades in a field that is constantly and rapidly evolving. I know enough to know I don't know enough but there is no shame in this as long as I give curiosity full reign and embrace learning new things.<br /><br />I recently revamped a few of my websites and was stunned at the array of free and open tools out there. I will list a few here:<br /><b><br /></b><b>Free parking</b><br /><br />If you just need to point your domain and don't want to pay for hosting, here are a few options:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> is more than just a micro-blogging platform for animated gifs. <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/docs/en/custom_domains">You can use it to host domains</a>. If you can't find anything you like among their numerous free themes, you can <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/docs/en/custom_themes">roll your own</a>. That is the approach I took with <a href="http://thewindowshoppers.com/">thewindowshoppers.com</a>.<br /><a href="httpp://www.neocities.org"><br /></a><a href="httpp://www.neocities.org">Neocities</a>&nbsp;is a revival of the geocities of the 90's. Except more DIY and no ads! They have a nice built-in text editor, but do not support folders. You can do custom domains though. This is perfect for simple static sites. I use it to host <a href="http://spacedots.net/">spacedots.net</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://pages.github.com/">Github</a>, a repository of free and open scripts,&nbsp;also lets you host a free site and park a domain. It looks like a way to gain some valuable skills as Git trumps FTP! I forked One Page Scroll plugin at <a href="http://plastic.arthurlov.es/">thentherewerenone.info</a>.<br /><br /><b>Style</b><br /><br /><a href="http://fortawesome.github.io/Font-Awesome/">Font awesome</a> provides icons that are externally hosted. It is a font, so you just need to select the characters you want to use and apply the appropriate style based on their examples. I use Font awesome for the header icons at the top of this blog.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.google.com/fonts">Google Fonts</a> are easy to use! Just make a selection using their search tool, add it to a collection, and google provides the link reference for the head of your page along with the css. Lato (used here) and Open Sans are my favorites so far.<br /><br />Recently my mobile app provider went out of business. I was willing to pay for a new app, but I couldn't find a service that created anything beyond generic mobile sites and I have to confess to some sticker shock. <a href="http://adsy.me/">Adsy.me</a>&nbsp;blew me away by offering FUN and FREE. Their builder lets you create multi-page apps from your phone. You can add widgets for videos and audio, images, text, and links via a drag and drop interface. <a href="http://adsy.me/e0xbOQexBA">I CREATED MY APP ON MY ANDROID PHONE WHILE WAITING FOR THE BUS.</a> I am not shouting, i am just trying to convey how awesome Adsy is. <br /><br /><a href="http://jquerymobile.com/">Jquerymobile</a> is a utilitarian framework that keeps things simple. The best instructions I have found are at <a href="http://www.w3schools.com/jquerymobile/">w3schools</a>.<br /><br />I use <a href="http://slicknav.com/">Slicknav</a>&nbsp;to do those mobile hamburger style fold out menus (I don't even know what they are called!) It came in handy for my <a href="http://arthurlovesplastic.com/cds.htm">discography page</a>--check out the top right hand corner.<br /><b><br /></b><b>Other tools</b><br /><br /><a href="https://codeanywhere.com/">Codeanywhere</a> let you set up three accounts to edit and upload files on your web server. It has a built in text editor for html files so no more edit and upload. You just edit and save!<br /><br />I hope this information is helpful!Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-85342903668581807802014-07-12T15:37:00.001-07:002015-04-26T18:31:51.894-07:00Xone 51 Launch <p>This was a great gig! I did a 90 minute DJ/veejay set through an awesome sound system at Capitale on K Street. It isn't all lobbyists!</p><div class="video-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LS1TiRuahWI" width="480"></iframe></div><style type="text/css"><!-- .video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } .video-container iframe, .video-container object, .video-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } </style>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-10386049834435464002014-07-12T14:26:00.002-07:002015-04-26T19:55:56.521-07:00Queering Sound 2014 <p>This is my favorite gig of the year! Special thanks to Steve Sanford for recording the audio and JS Adams for curating the event! This is a live audio recording of laptop with melodica and toy xylophone accompaniment along with cat videos screened at the event.</p><div class="video-container"><iframe width="560" height="420" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bQESVCyUjIQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><style type="text/css"><!-- .video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } .video-container iframe, .video-container object, .video-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } </style>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-74743412442409374562014-05-13T06:44:00.001-07:002015-04-25T07:40:33.276-07:00My Car!<img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8WWNTAiCOkM/U3IhmMd1TXI/AAAAAAAABJc/CzV1LVeVEbk/s640/20140228_114650.jpeg" style="width: 100%;" /><br /><div dir="ltr"><br />I love my car! My ex-husband and I bought this 1992 Ford Festiva used 19 years ago during the early Clinton years. And it has been as enduring as the Clinton legacy! I don't pay much attention to gas prices because this car has the carbon footprint of a flea. But I could tell they were rising when other customers at the gas pump stopped making fun of my car and wanted to know if it was for sale. I pamper my Festiva since it only has 59,000 miles on it. I hope to drive it for a few more years though i take a deep breath every time the mechanic calls after I have dropped it off for an oil change. It is harder and harder to get replacement parts but my mechanic is as resourceful as my car has been reliable.</div><div dir="ltr"><br />Every 6 months i take it in to <a href="http://www.cliffdeweysautodetailing.com/">Cliff Dewey</a>, the auto detailing guru, for a wax job. He owned a Festiva in high school that his wife did not want to be seen in. He enjoys nostalgically sending her photos when i bring it in.<br /><br />When the time comes to retire my car i hope to be able to get a new red fiesta. I enjoy parking next to one when i go to the gym. The juxtaposition of the two Ford vehicle eras is shown below.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2SVHGEwQqPk/U3IhnhxwXwI/AAAAAAAABJk/AucyqjDSV2w/s640/IMG_20131116_082645.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /> <img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GN-mU-DHETM/U3Iho47fYZI/AAAAAAAABJs/iuODsPzQ1C4/s640/20140228_133159.jpeg" style="width: 100%;" /><br /><div style="font-size: .9em;">Photos 1 and 3 by Cliff Dewey</div>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-27162125299636985392014-04-17T21:10:00.003-07:002015-04-26T19:56:13.633-07:00Tales of Us I am so grateful that a friend tagged me on Facebook to let me know "Tales of Us," the film inspired by <a href="http://goldfrapp.com/">Goldfrapp's</a> latest album, was playing at my local cinema (AFI) for just 2 nights. I am not a fan of music videos but Goldfrapp's latest work is spellbinding and the cinematic interpretation by Alison Goldfrapp's partner, filmmaker Lisa Gunning, exquisitely redefines this genre.<br /><br />The best part of the experience was the performance footage after the videos. Goldfrapp, backed by a full band and string section, performed an assortment of songs from previous albums on a stage decorated with suspended chairs, naked trees, ambient projections, and cool accent lighting. I envied the cable management and the clear bass with the glitter pick guard and took solace in the fact that her musicians rely on pieces of paper on the floor and notes taped to instruments like I do! The pause between songs was eerily silent and punctuated by the sounds of guitar pedals being stomped and mic stands adjusted. The lack of applause from a studio audience lent a stark rawness and intimacy to the performance. The set consisted of downtempo tracks (Strict Machine was about as rocking as it got) and the band was very focused and somber.<br /><br />Though I would like to check out the "making of" portion on DVD I am glad i got to see this one on the big screen with spacious sound. I was really surprised there weren't more people in attendance. There were so many empty seats it was like being in the audience at one of my gigs!<br /><br /><div class="video-container"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AfRUVyku5pk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><style type="text/css"><!-- .video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } .video-container iframe, .video-container object, .video-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } </style>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-21528197008679428012014-02-22T11:34:00.003-08:002014-02-22T11:41:52.497-08:00Last One I Promise!I am no longer single for the time being but still have plenty of time for music! I have been playing cajon in the <a href="http://catcanarygrins.tumblr.com/">post-punk project CCSG</a> and playing loops and synths with <a href="http://www.plasticsky.net/">Plastic Sky</a>. I also just finished an EP entitled <i>Get Happy</i>.<br /><br />I have managed to stay on that beam of being content and drama-free. So yes this means another Recovery CD! But I am already plotting out the next one which will be based around live samples of <a href="http://lisamoscatiello.com/concerts.htm">Lisa Moscatiello's acoustic performances</a>&nbsp;to expand my range of topics.<br /><br />In a departure from my usual schtick, I decided to do vocals on this one. I always get annoyed when people feel compelled to ask "do you sing?" when they hear I am a musician. I don't think men get asked this question! Most agree after listening to this CD, that the answer is "only with lots of auto-tune and FX!" Consider yourself warned.<br />&nbsp; <iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/20537910&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-59394286656381055142013-08-01T15:03:00.002-07:002016-09-09T04:04:14.620-07:00Today's DirgeThe last sick day I took was in November of 2011 a few days before I quit drinking. That day I ended up coming up with a few noodles that ultimately evolved into two tracks on my latest CD <a href="http://www.arthurlovesplastic.com/strings">Strings</a> -- "Freedom Feels" and "Lament." <br /><br />Yesterday my throat hurt as though i had been yelling/pontificating all night at a crowded bar. But then it occurred to me I don't do that anymore! This morning's ticklish throat indicated I am probably coming down with the summer cold that is making the rounds. So I e-mailed in sick. I don't mind being sick except that it sucks the joy out of smoking--which since i am a single sober vegan is the one cheap thrill i have left. No wait, I can still do music! So after finishing the season of "Orange is the New Black" I started mucking about with Audio Mulch. These are slowed down samples of Fred Lieder on cello with some self-indulgent tinkering. <br /><br /><iframe width="100%" height="450" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/103618105%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-rBUOG&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true"></iframe> <br /><br />I am really thankful for my job, my health, and my solitude. Tomorrow I plan to be back to work. Not that there's anything wrong with that.Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-9624247542631928702013-05-05T14:42:00.001-07:002013-05-06T04:34:29.124-07:00Next gig June 1.<div dir="ltr"><a href="http://dc-soniccircuits.org/calendar/show/146/2013-06-01-queering-sound-venue-tbd/">Saturday, Jun 1st, 2013 - QUEERING Sound @Pyramid Atlantic</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://dc-soniccircuits.org/uploads/flyers/8684705882_bbf872cba4_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://dc-soniccircuits.org/uploads/flyers/8684705882_bbf872cba4_b.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-55286583589262037582013-04-21T09:22:00.002-07:002015-04-27T04:44:54.035-07:00My Cajon! <div align="center"><img border="0" class="responsive-image" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nOPhXkdPM-Y/U1kuFKaA37I/AAAAAAAABH4/kX1z3xeQYok/s1600/cajon_crop.jpg" /></div><br />During my Christmas trip to Florida I attended a party with New Zealanders and played a cajon box drum for the very first time. It is perfect for those awkward occasions in which you don't know the songs but would rather bang along than passively listen. As soon as I returned to Maryland <a href="http://www.samash.com/p/Pearl_Black%20PRIMERO%20Cajon%20with%20Carrying%20Bag_-49946488">I ordered one online</a> as my first tax write-off of 2013. It is essentially a box you sit on that contains snares and has a sound hole in the back for projecting bass. It provides the sound of a drum kit without the need for hand/foot coordination. I have been taking drum classes at <a href="http://www.drumforjoy.com/">Drum for Joy</a> in Takoma Park and hope to eventually attend some local drum circles as well.<br /><br />The best part of lugging around my drum is being asked if I am bringing my cat to work because its case looks like an animal carrier. And when one of the HR folks at the day job asked me what I was carrying I was able to emphatically respond "MY CAJON" without being asked to retake the sexual harassment webinar. <br /><br />This video of Heidi Joubert from Fernando's Kitchen will make you want a cajon as well. "1e+a 2e+A 3E+a 4e+a INDEED"!! Mark my words, the cajon is going to be the ukulele of drums! <br /><br /><div class="video-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zielGCfHA-8" width="560"></iframe></div><style type="text/css"><!-- .video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } .video-container iframe, .video-container object, .video-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } .responsive-image { height: auto; widthL 100%;} </style>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6123927064981250646.post-3460899520201112022013-04-21T09:08:00.002-07:002015-04-27T04:45:11.519-07:00Under the Stars A couple of weeks ago I did a gig at Montgomery College Planetarium. I was a little disappointed by the turnout--it didn't occur to me that gorgeous weather is as much an impediment to attendance as snow and sweltering heat so a note to self about spring gigs!! But based on post-game facebook chatter it seemed like folks really enjoyed it. If my gigs are better received when I sit in the dark with my back to the audience so be it!! Below is a compilation of ALP music videos, some of which were featured in the show. <br /> <div class="video-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ExzIVTmouSQ?list=PL44B030A00436AE7B" width="560"></iframe></div><style type="text/css"><!-- .video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } .video-container iframe, .video-container object, .video-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } </style>Bev S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16587822284125637145noreply@blogger.com0